The Struggle For Success:  A Left 4 Dead Prolouge
by GethHunter
Summary: Nick is searching for any way to keep a roof over his head before the Green Flu outbreak.  This story is only focused on Nick and what happened before the Infection.  T for language, alcohol and drugs.  Rating may change.


The Struggle For Success.

Chapter One

Doctor Nick.

**READ: This Fan Fiction will not have zombies until (maybe) the final few chapters. This has very little to do with Left 4 Dead itself, apart from Nick and the inevitable outbreak of the Infection. This is just Nick's eventful life prior to the outbreak. I was inspired by one line in the game: ''Here, let Doctor Nick fix you up.'' I thought that it might be interesting if he was a doctor, and I played around with the idea. This is the end result. Enjoy.**

Matt Sanders. Nothing made Nick's stomach churn as much as the mention of that name. The mere thought of the man made him feel sick to the core. The most despicable human being on the face of the planet. That he knew at work. With his Harvard P.H.D, and his Mercedes, and his fat, stupid smile sitting on his face like a rotten banana. And there he was, holding the lift open for him like a smart, successful door stopper. He smiled at Nick and greeted him as he entered the elevator with a scowl on his face.  
>''Hi Nick! How's it going?'' he asked stupidly. The wide grin was there as always.<br>''Who's the patient?'' he asked, trying to keep interaction to a minimum.  
>''Hmm, let me see…'' flicking through his sheets. ''Ah. 21 year old male, violent coughing and an extremely sore throat, along with unusual bumps along his arm, back and forehead. He also claims to have health insurance so… He's just in there.'' Matt led him through to the person in question. The other patrons were either asleep or sampling the most disgusting muck they had ever tasted. Nick studied him. Then he took out a small white pill from his pocket and put it in the young man's hand.<br>''Take this. Go home. You should feel better in a few hours.'' He patted him on the back before helping him up and showing him out into the corridor. Matt watched him as he stumbled through the doors.  
>''What was that you gave him?'' he enquired, amazed that Nick was confident enough to send him home with that one tablet.<br>''Mentos. I stuffed a bit of crack into it. Usually keeps them happy enough until they forget they were at the hospital at all.'' He replied innocently. Matt's mouth dropped open in amazement and shock.  
>''Are you serious? Do you know what you just did-''<br>''Shut up and be happy for once. He had really, really bad acne and I didn't want to tell him that he looked lumpier than my sofa, which I _think _has a raccoon in it somewhere. And you kept him here when he just had a frickin' _cough?_ Go and be Dr. Rosenburg's little pet for the rest of the day.''  
>Credit where it is due, Mr Sander's smile never wavered.<p>

Nick sat alone in the cafeteria as usual, munching away on cold, stale slop usually reserved for the ungrateful louts that demanded facilities that Bill Gates wouldn't be able to afford easily. They should just make it a hotel if rich people came in and demanded to be treated like Roman emperors. Contagious ones, at that. Fighting down the vomit, he munched away on barely-grinded cow intestines that resembled a high-rise suicide he had witnessed once. A loud voice called from the entrance.  
>''Nick. My office.<em> Now.<em>''  
>Nick sighed and wiped the bloody mulch off his face. He opened the door of Dr. G. Rosenburg's office and opened it slowly. The head of the establishment was sitting at his desk with a very non-approving glare on his face. Nick sat down in the swivel chair opposite from him with a loud creak.<br>''Giving a patient drugs and sending him home without performing any diagnosis of any kind, without consulting me and without telling him what he was taking? Really Nick?''  
>''Aw come on. It wasn't even real cocaine! It was toilet paper I found on the street! He'll go home, be fine, and we won't get sued.''<br>Dr. Rosenburg's glare grew even more pronounced.  
>''You listen here Nick! One more incident like this and I'm sending you over to St. James's!''<br>''St. James's? That's for hobos who can't find a dirty enough needle in a dark alley! You go there when you need a place to stay and a box won't do!''  
>Rosenburg stood up, a little too fast for his back to handle. He winced and clutched at his spine. When he remembered what he was doing he turned his attention back to Nick.<br>''That's why it'll be perfect for you! It'll be good work experience for you to have to claw your way up from the bottom. You haven't done a damn good day's work in your life, and you're only here because the last doctor disappeared in Azerbaijan! Don't know what he was doing over there but… I really don't know how you ended up here!''  
>''Come on Gerry! I-''<br>''AND DON'T CALL ME GERRY!'' yelled the 60 year old doctor, in a slightly higher tone than he was expecting. What came out was more like a whinge. Nick took his cue to leave the irate man before he got himself fired.

_**Yeah, short chapter, but that's just because I won't to see what you lovely people think about the story. Anonymous reviews are enabled so now you don't have an excuse for not reviewing. ;) Please, send feedback and I'll get started on the new chapters.**_


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